Memorable quotes!

VICTORY: “We know in our hearts that for the United States of America the best is yet to come... Whether I earned your vote or not, I have listened to you. I have learned from you. You’ve made me a better president.”-Obama delivers a victory speech to supporters.

DEFEAT: “This election is over, but our principles endure... His supporters and his campaign also deserve congratulations. I wish all of them well but particularly the president, the first lady and their daughters.”-Republican challenger Mitt Romney concedes defeat.

ANGER:” It’s not a traditional America anymore. And there are 50 percent of the voting public who want stuff. They want things. “Whereby 20 years ago President Obama would have been roundly defeated by an establishment candidate like Mitt Romney, the white establishment is now the minority.”-Fox News anchor Bill O’Reilly plays the race card.

SPECIAL: “The prime minister congratulates the president of the United States for his victory in the election. The strategic alliance between Israel and the United States is stronger than ever.”- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a close friend of Romney.

BAD PLANNING: “I just finished writing a victory speech. It’s about 1,118 words, and I’m sure it will change before I finish because I haven’t passed it around to my family and friends and advisers to get their reaction.”-A confident Romney gets ready for his big moment, hours before defeat.

CLOSE SHAVE: “I bought myself a new moustache comb, because I know I’m gonna be needing it.”- Obama campaign senior advisor David Axelrod tells MSNBC he is confident of keeping his trademark moustache after agreeing to shave it off if his boss loses any of the Democratic-leaning states of Pennsylvania, Michigan or Minnesota.

HOW IMPORTANT IS YOUR VOTE?”I was just trying to read (the ballot paper) and breathe, read and breathe. That’s what I kept telling myself: ‘Read and breathe, read and breathe’.”- First-time Chicago voter Galacia Malone, 21, describes how she cast her ballot while in labour. She later gave birth to a baby girl.

SANDY MAKES HER PRESENCE FELT: “Please excuse the appearance of this place. Two days ago, it was under two feet of water.”-A polling-station worker in Hoboken, New Jersey, apologizes to voters for its late opening. The city was hard-hit by superstorm Sandy last week.

IT’S ME, ‘YOU KNOW, THE PRESIDENT’:” This is Barack Obama. You know, the president?”- The president surprises a campaign volunteer in swing state Wisconsin with an Election Day call from a field office in Chicago to thank them for getting out the vote.

I’LL TAKE IT FROM HERE:” Despite all the hardship we’ve been through, despite all the frustrations of Washington, I’ve never been more hopeful about our future. I have never been more hopeful about America.”-Obama again, in his victory speech. —Foreign Desk

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